A friendship forged across continents got a fresh mandate on Monday, October 26, 2026, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out in Portuguese to congratulate Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his re-election — signalling that New Delhi intends to keep the momentum in one of its most strategically layered relationships in the Global South. Posting in Portuguese — a deliberate gesture of diplomatic warmth — Modi wrote: 'Meus mais sinceros parabéns ao meu caro amigo, presidente Lula, por sua notável vitória na reeleição' ('My most sincere congratulations to my dear friend, President Lula, on his remarkable re-election victory'). He added that he looks forward to working 'in close collaboration' to 'deepen and further expand the multifaceted Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil.'

A Strategic Partnership with two decades of architecture

India and Brazil established their formal Strategic Partnership in 2006, building a framework that spans trade, defence procurement, science and technology, and coordination at multilateral tables. The two nations are founding members of the BRICS grouping, where their positions on reforming global financial institutions and amplifying the voice of developing economies have repeatedly aligned. That shared institutional DNA makes every Brazilian election a moment of consequence for Indian foreign policy planners. Modi and Lula last held face-to-face bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi — a meeting that underscored how much of the India-Brazil relationship is conducted through the architecture of multilateral forums. Agricultural technology, defence supply chains, and a joint push to reform the UN Security Council have historically anchored the substance beneath the summitry.

Why Lula's continuity matters for New Delhi

For India's Ministry of External Affairs, a returning Lula administration means continuity in a bilateral relationship that has gained texture over the past few years. Brazil is the largest economy in South America and a critical interlocutor within BRICS — a grouping whose geopolitical weight has expanded considerably since its founding summits. Any disruption in Brasília's foreign-policy orientation would have rippled through those coordination mechanisms; Lula's win removes that uncertainty. Modi's choice to post in Portuguese — rather than defaulting to English — is worth noting. It is the kind of small, deliberate signal that diplomatic observers read as an investment in the personal relationship, not just the institutional one. The Prime Minister described Lula as a 'dear friend,' language that tracks with how both leaders have publicly characterised their engagement.

The line Modi left open

The congratulatory post ends mid-sentence — 'Together, we will continue to' — suggesting the full message continued beyond what was captured here. The incomplete line itself carries meaning: the story of this partnership, Modi implies, is unfinished business. Watch for a formal bilateral meeting at the next BRICS or G20 summit, or a scheduled state visit, as the two leaders move to translate this warm public exchange into concrete next steps. Two of the Global South's most consequential democracies just renewed their handshake — the world's next major multilateral gathering will reveal what they plan to build with it.